Safety at the Fire Emergency

5-1

Chapter 5

Learning Objectives

• List the three incident priorities.• Explain the relationship between the three incident

priorities and the relationship to health and safety.• Discuss in general terms the hazards faced by

responders to fire incidents.• List the components of a personal protective

equipment used for fire incidents.• Discuss the need for and the components of an

effective accountability system.

Cont. 5-2

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the types of and the relationship between incident management systems and the health and safety of the responder.

• Describe the concept of and need for fireground air management.

• Define the need for and uses of a rapid intervention team.

• Discuss the components of incident rehabilitation

5-3

Introduction

• Understand incident priorities and their relationship with operations and hazards to design programs and procedures to reduce injuries

• The safety and health program manager must have a good knowledge of the hazards faced at fires and procedures that will ensure safer operations

• Life Safety Initiatives 1, 2, 3, and 4 have a direct or indirect relationship to safety at the fire emergency

5-4

Incident Priorities and Safety

• Life safety– Life safety is the group of activities that ensures that the

threat of injury or death to civilians and emergency personnel is reduced to the absolute minimum

• Incident stabilization– Incident stabilization is the group of activities required to

stop additional damage or danger

• Property conservation– This group of activities is commonly called salvage or

stopping the loss

Cont. 5-5

Incident Priorities and Safety

• The relationship between incident priorities and safety– We will take greater risk a lot to save a lot– We will take little risk to save a little– We will take no risk to save what is already lost

5-6

Hazards Faced by Responders

• Structure fires– Construction– Fire behavior

• Transportation fires– Both auto and truck– Train, aircraft, and ships

• Outside structure fires• Wildfires

– Ten Firefighting Orders

5-7

Structural Fire Hazard Matrix

5-8

Personal Protective Equipment

• Overview– Minimizes exposure at the fire scene– Addresses the priority of life safety– PPE for structure and vehicle fires is essentially the same– Wildland firefighting has a different PPE design– Discussion on PPE can be divided into three subject areas

• Design and purchasing• Use• Care and maintenance

Cont. 5-9

Personal Protective Equipment

• Design and purchase– Commonly expected components

• Use – SOPs in place– SCBA use and safety procedures

Cont. 5-10

Personal Protective Equipment

• Care and maintenance– NFPA standards provide guidelines – Generally follow the manufacturer’s

recommendations

5-11

Incident Management Systems

• IMS structure– Command staff

• Information• Safety• Liaison

– General staff• Operations• Finance• Logistics• Planning

5-12

IMS Command and General Staff

5-13

Air Management

• Air management policies should be established– Understand average air consumption– Emphasize knowing amounts of air left– Leave hazard area before alarm sounds– Have enough air for unplanned events

5-14

Accountability

• Critical element of the IMS and of the safety program• Personnel accountability reports (PARs)

– Status of crews– Account for personnel

• Various systems• System objectives

5-15

Rapid Intervention Companies

• Reasons for having• Options for assignments• Objectives• Equipment• RIC concept has widespread applicability

5-16

RIC Equipment

• Extra SCBA complete with harness• Search rope• Forcible-entry hand tools• Mechanical forcible entry tools• Hose line available• Ladder complement• Thermal imaging camera• High-intensity hand light

5-17

Rehabilitation

• Wind chill and heat indexes • Objectives• Rehabilitation is an essential element of the IMS• Procedures should define responsibilities• Medical record-keeping

5-18

Heat Stress Index

5-19

Wind Chill Index

5-20

Summary

• Operational priorities are life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation

• Must have a safety program to decrease exposure to hazards

• Must have a safety officer who is accountable for and responsible for incident scene safety

Cont. 5-21

Summary

• Should have a practical system that accounts for personnel and equipment

• Responders and incident commanders have the responsibility to understand the concepts of air management

5-22